Well, Megan, Yuriy and I got to the Detroit airport yesterday evening just in time to meet our first Delta Cargo charter I mentioned yesterday, arriving with a full plane load of PPE masks and other items for various American customers we’re delivering for. Awesome!
We actually arrived at the Same Exact Time as the charter did (thank you, John and Hallie : ) and we met it on the tarmac as it headed into the gate. (Logistics, baby! ?)
Incredible effort by all—Eileen and her team in China, Russel in Houston, Kelly, Megan, G2 and others here in Erie.
The ground crew quickly jumped to work and the entire plane was unloaded in 45 minutes.
Colleen was a most delightful hostess and took us to watch the entire process, and then to the Delta warehouse where we met Mohammed, who runs it. They were glad for the business (Detroit airport looked like a ghost town—sad). Both were upbeat and hopeful, even in a hotspot like Detroit, that we are at least beginning to emerge from all this and will be getting back to more normal business soon.
This could not have been possible without the help/hopefully fledgling partnership with Delta Airlines.
Unless you have been intimately involved in trying to book these charters, as Eileen and Russell and Yuriy and Kelly and Megan and G2 have, you really cannot fully understand how impossibly crazy it’s been. And not just “business is harder now because of the pandemic” tough. This has been WAY beyond that.
—Trying to place orders for product in China, where the demand has soared
—Manufacturers canceling promised orders
—Quality control
—Varying, very specific certifications required by customers/governments
—Other parties buying out/stealing orders that were being produced for us.
—Russell dealing with new rules, changes, cancellations of flights
—Trucks waiting in lines MILES long trying to deliver product to the airport.
—Chinese customs changing their export rules.
—US customs changing our import rules.
—Ground crews in China overwhelmed with the volume of cargo and planes.
—China changing rules regarding planes/crews/quarantines
—Eileen spending 24 hours straight at the Shanghai airport to help make sure our cargo all got loaded (onto the RIGHT airplane : )
—And on and on and on.
And, whatever issues that WE/LP have been dealing with—Delta and the other airlines, had to deal with them, and many, many more (they are the actual OPERATORS in this picture!) Total chaos and constant changing, sometimes by the hour. Total Wild West.
And that’s amidst this time when airlines are already getting economically crushed by this pandemic. Tough, tough, tough.
So, it’s been very heartening that we have been able to work so closely with Delta (my favorite airlines) with a little help from many of their top leadership, from Ed Bastian, their CEO, through their corporate leadership, and right down to the front line troops like Mohammad and Colleen.
If you have ever flown Delta, you know of the superior customer service and attention they provide. It was no different here. They, like us, know that even in tough times, you need to treat each other right. You find the patience and the creativity and the mental toughness and the resilience to navigate through, and they did. (The old John Wooden quote: “Tough times does not build character, it reveals character”.
A good and positive experience for our LP team, and a terrific result for our customers who will today be getting the masks and other personal protective equipment they ordered through us delivered to them. Success!
So, thank you, Ed, Shawn, Eric, Arthur, Mohammad and Colleen. Thank you from me, from LP, from our customers and from those who will now be able to feel safer and more secure as “inch by inch” we/all of us, continue to get through this awful mess. Thank you.
Onward! (with a little help from our friends… : )
JB
Jim Berlin, CEO, Logistics Plus
(click any of the three photos above to see larger version)
Logistics Plus Receives Inc.’s Best Workplaces of 2020 Recognition
Majority of employees see professional growth and career opportunities.
ERIE, PA (May 6, 2020) – Logistics Plus Inc. (LP), a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce that it has been named to Inc. magazine’s annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. In anonymous surveys, employee engagement was over 96%, and “challenging” was cited as the top word to describe the company’s work environment. 82% of men and 85% of women in the company see professional and career development opportunities for themselves.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made this an incredibly challenging year,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “The world has changed and is changing before our eyes, but LP has stayed strong with our employees playing essential roles in helping keep supply chains together, here and around the world. It’s been a true testament to the talent, tenacity, creativity and resourcefulness of our people. I am so proud. Proud of them all.”
Collecting data from more than 2,500 submissions, Inc. singled out 389 finalists for this year’s list. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data. Then we ranked all the employers using a composite score of survey results. The list will be included in the May/June 2020 issue of Inc. magazine and prominently featured on the Inc.com website.
Among all finalists on the list, Logistics Plus also had the distinction of being:
1 of only 45 companies recognized in the large category (250-499 employees)
1 of only 12 companies based in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
1 of only 10 companies in the transportation and logistics industry
This is the first year that Logistics Plus has received the Inc. Best Workplace recognition. Last year, Logistics Plus was named the 54th best medium-sized workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine and has been certified as a Great Place to Work® company the past three years running.
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence technology, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. The company was founded over 23 years ago in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin. Today, Logistics Plus is a highly-regarded fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450 global employees put the “plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Akron, OH; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Des Moines, IA; Detroit, MI; Fort Worth, TX; Haslet TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Lexington, NC; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, FL; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; Olean, NY; Ontario, CA; San Bernardino, CA; San Francisco, CA; Tampa Bay, FL; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; China; Colombia; Czech Republic; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Netherlands; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; Ukraine; Uganda; and United Kingdom; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Logistics Plus Picks Up and Delivers 50,000 Masks for the City of Erie
The masks were donated by Erie’s sister city in Zibo, China, and airfreighted to Chicago.
ERIE, PA (May 1, 2020) – Logistics Plus Inc. (LP), a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to share that it recently provided final pickup and delivery services for a critical order of 50 thousand surgical masks for the City of Erie. The masks were donated by Erie’s “sister city” in Zibo, China and airfreighted to Chicago’s O’Hare (ORD) Airport. From there, Logistics Plus facilitated the customs clearance and paperwork, took possession of the shipment, and then arranged complimentary transportation of the goods from Chicago to Erie.
Employees from the newly formed Logistics Plus COVID-19 Response Team safely delivered all 23 cartons of the masks to the City of Erie. The LP COVID-19 Response Team was organized by Gretchen Seth, the company’s senior vice president. Gretchen is an Erie-native, has been with Logistics Plus for over 22 years, and is – fittingly – the daughter of a local doctor.
A special press conference, with only the media in attendance, to thank Zibo, China for its generous donation and to thank Logistics Plus for its role in helping with the delivery of the shipment, was planned for today but has since been postponed for a later date out of caution and a need for social distancing.
“Together we are ‘Erie Strong,’ said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “Helping Mayor Schember and the city get these masks from Chicago to Erie and in the hands of our front-line government workers was an easy decision. I am also proud of our employees for the donations made to the mission, food bank, and others. It feels good to donate and to do something for those in need. Truly a win-win. And a way to be Erie Strong.”
Jim added, “I’d also like to commend Gretchen on her role running our LP COVID team. They have successfully sourced, procured, transported and delivered millions of pieces of PPE to area hospitals, first responders, nursing home, government employees, police and fire departments. In record time. When no one could find and get these, we did. A true LP as a solutions company story. It needed done and we are doing it.”
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence technology, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. The company was founded over 23 years ago in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin. Today, Logistics Plus is a highly-regarded fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450 global employees put the “plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Akron, OH; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Buffalo, NY; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Dallas, TX; Des Moines, IA; Detroit, MI; Fort Worth, TX; Haslet TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Lexington, NC; Los Angeles, CA; Melbourne, FL; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; Olean, NY; Ontario, CA; San Bernardino, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Tampa Bay, FL; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; China; Colombia; Czech Republic; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Netherlands; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; Ukraine; Uganda; and United Kingdom; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
In case you missed it, Molly Schoullis and Lee Anne Kennedy were featured in a recent airing of Business Spotlight on WPSE AM 1450/FM 107.1 Radio. Business Spotlight is a 30-minute program airing Fridays at noon. Each segment focuses on a business or organization that is making an impact across the region.
In this segment, Molly and Lee Anne discuss how the LP COVID-19 response team got started, what they are doing to help fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) and more. You can listen to a replay of the interview on the Logistics Plus YouTube Channel below.
Logistics Plus is pleased to announce that it has added a new item to the LP COVID-19 online store – its newly created outlet for personal protective equipment (PPE).
Introducing the Ear Saver – a face mask accessory that takes the stress and pressure off of your ears while wearing a protective or surgical face mask!
The Ear Saver was created by Todd Keefe, a local high school teacher in Erie, Pennsylvania.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold, I heard stories of individuals, especially those in healthcare, who came home at night with ears that were sore or even bleeding from the stress of the elastic on their face masks.” said Mr. Keefe. “Having access to 3-D printers as a technology teacher, I began printing these ear savers to relieve the pressure and help masks fit all head sizes and shapes.”
What started as donations to local hospitals and first-responders quickly took off. Todd donated more than 15,000 ear savers across the country. Now, with the help of Logistics Plus, production and distribution have picked up and they are available for purchase by the general public.
**Ear Savers are 3-D printed here in the United States. While most masks are disposable, the Ear Saver can be re-used.**
You can learn more about Todd’s idea by watching the video below on Erie News Now.
In case you missed it, the Commodity Classifications Standards Board (CCSB) has published a new supplement to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC®). These changes became effective 4/25/2020. A few of the notable changes are listed below (thank you for the assist from our friends at Estes Express).
Foodstuffs group – A variety of changes here. The most significant being a new Item 134710 – Meats or Poultry, cooked, cured, dried, dry salted, pickled, smoked (NEW) or preserved, with or without other ingredients.
Sub 1 – Less than 8 pcf – class 150
Sub 2 – 8 but less than 12 – class 100
Sub 3 – 12 or greater – class 70
Organic Peroxides, Item 45463 .
New classes for Types B, C D, E and F.
Bathtubs, Showers, Shower Stalls, Hot Tubs or Spas, Item 158260.
New classes dependent upon packaging and density. Six groupings. Item 158261 is canceled.
183100 TOBACCO, MANUFACTURED, GROUP: Articles consist of Manufactured (NEW) Tobacco, including Cigarettes, Cigars, Chew, Dip or Snuff, as described in items subject to this grouping.
New Item which replaces Cigarettes and Cigars group #47760 and all related items. New items for the following
Cigars, cigarettes or cigarillos. Three classes dependent upon density
Kits, cigarette making – class 100
Tobacco, smokeless, including Chewing Tobacco (Chew), Dipping(NEW) Tobacco (Dip), Snuff, Plug or Twist – Less than 12 pcf – class 100, greater than 12 pcf – class 77.5
Tobacco, smoking, including Hookah, Shisha or Pipe Tobacco,(NEW) cut or granulated – Three classes dependent upon density.
Household goods, Personal Effects or Military baggage – As modified, the description of item 100250 is amended by addition of the phrase “subject to Full Replacement Value (FRV) coverage,” and the last sentence of Note, item 100251, reading “This definition of FRV does not apply on motor vehicles, including automobiles or motorcycles,” is removed. These amendments are made for clarification and to better reflect the Defense Transportation Regulations.
Saunas or Steam Baths, portable, – New Item 172740 which replaces 39220. New class is 175.
Sauna or Steam Rooms, combined or not combined with showers – New Item which replaces 170650. New class is 150.
Eyeglasses, Spectacles or Sunglasses, NOI – Item 57830 . Revised and regrouped under two subs. Sub 1 – less than 6 pcf , class 200, sub 2 – 6 or greater, class 125.
Compressors, air, NOI; or Air Ends, NOI – Item 118100. Item 118100 is amended to provide density breaks at 8 and 12 pcf, with classes as shown. Sub 1 is amended to no longer apply on air compressors tendered “protected by a full-height fiberboard cap testing not less than 275 pounds and secured on lift truck skids or pallets.” New Note, item 118101 is established to provide additional packaging requirements.
82270 Metallic or Wooden Furniture, NOI, including Freestanding Panels, Partitions or Screens – Items 81550 and 82500 are canceled with reference to the full-scale density-based provisions of item 82270, and as modified, reference to freestanding panels, partitions or screens is added to the description of item 82270. Concurrently, Note, item 82501 is canceled with no further application.
153040 Envelopes, NOI, including Seed Envelopes or Packets, paper or paperboard. Item revised to class 77.5. Items 153030 and 153032 are canceled.
111655 Litter or Bedding, animal, in bags or boxes. Item revised from three density groupings to four density groupings. The density scale in item 111655 is amended by the addition of a break at 8 pcf, assigning class 175 to densities of less than 8 pcf. The noun “Bedding” is added to the description, while the references to “poultry” and “with or without additives” as well as the packaging reference to “drums” are removed.
35085 Partitions or Walls, interior, or Panels therefor, with or without integral (NEW) doors, – New Item which replaces 35040, Has Six density groupings and classes based on Length (exceeding or NOT exceeding 96 inches) and density. Old item was a simple class 70.
Item 680, Sec. 9(a) – Amended to allow alternative methods of securement, while Sec. 9(b) provides specifications for how freight is to be secured on lift truck skids, pallets or platforms. Item 680, Sec. 7(c) and Package 107, which currently refer to Secs. 9(a) or (b), are amended accordingly.
114145 Air Humidifiers, NOI, with blowers or fans and Item 26580 Humidifiers.
Item 26580 is amended by replacing “hot air house heating furnace” with “whole house,” and class 150 is assigned. Item 114145 is amended to provide classes based on packaging and density.
49795 Aprons, Coveralls, Laboratory Coats, Pants, Shirts or Clothing, NOI, disposable and 56530 Caps, Hoods, Leggings or Shoe Covers, disposable.
Items 49795 and 56530 are canceled with reference to new item 56545, naming “Clothing, disposable, paper or nonwoven cloth, with or without reinforcement of other materials,” at class 150. The new item makes reference to Note, item 56714 for clarification. Note, item 49797 is canceled with no further application, and Note, item 49885 is amended accordingly.
40085 Marshmallows, NOI – Class changed from 85 to Class 175 on less than 7 pcf and 100 on 7 or greater.
53020 Coolers, draft beer dispensing (Kegerators), – Item 53020 is amended to assign class 175, and as modified, the item description is amended to read, “Coolers, draft beer dispensing (Kegerators), see Note, item 53021, other than hand portable, with or without mechanical cooling or freezing apparatus, drainboards or faucets (taps).” Also as modified, new Note, item 53021 is established to clarify that the item “Applies on coolers that dispense beer or other beverages from kegs.”
Item 680, Sec. 6(a) – Amended to define “outer containers,” while Sec. 6(b) defines “inner containers.” Item 680, Secs. 6(c) and 6(d), and the title of the section are concurrently amended for clarification and uniformity.
61840 Extractors, juice (Juicers), countertop, – Amended from a single class 77.5 to provide less than 7 pcf, class 175, and greater than 7 pcf, class 100.
196000 Tires, rubber, scrap,. This Item canceled and replaced with 195720 Scrap, rubber tire, other than tires in their original form or shape, class 77.5.
156960 Netting, – amended to provide classes predicated on density breaks at 8 and 12 pcf, and the description is amended by removing the phrase “wound on cores, spools or tubes.
150970 Filter Stock – Amended to provide classes predicated on a density break at 8 pcf, and to remove packaging references to crates and to wrapped bales or bundles.
50312 Compounds, water cleaning or treating, bath, pool, spa or hot tub, – add restrictive language, and refer to new Note, item 50314, stating that the item does not apply on materials regulated by the DOT as hazardous and required to bear a Hazard Class or Hazard Division label. The new Note directs the Classification user to other items for classes applicable to such hazardous materials.